


Yea, Though I Walk

by donutsweeper



Category: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Community: consci_fan_mo, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2012-12-11
Packaged: 2017-11-20 20:58:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donutsweeper/pseuds/donutsweeper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John has met Death many times, perhaps one too many.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yea, Though I Walk

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Deutsch available: [Und ob ich schon wanderte](https://archiveofourown.org/works/928810) by [lobstergirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lobstergirl/pseuds/lobstergirl)



****

**Now**

The smoke was getting thicker. "Sherlock, we have to go." John tugged on Sherlock's arm, trying to pull him away from the desk.

"All I need is another minute," Sherlock said, slipping out of John's grasp.

"No, grab any papers you think might be important, but we can't stay any longer. We have to go _now!_ "

 

****

**Before**

It had been a lucky shot, the bullet managing to find its way between the layers of body armour, and Matthews had gone down almost immediately, like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

"Damn it," John cursed under his breath, knowing the instant he saw the blood that an artery had been hit. He thought luck was on his side when he managed to stop the bleeding with one hand while radioing for help with the other until he heard: 

JOHN WATSON, WE MEET AGAIN 

"Go away. I've got my hand on the bleeder; he's not dead yet. I told you last time, you can't have them until I'm ready to let them go."

YOU ARE MERELY DELAYING THE INEVITABLE 

"I don't care. Now, _piss off!_ "

The strange thing was, it worked. He managed to stabilize Matthews enough for evac and then passed off the man's care to those better qualified than himself.

It wasn't until three days later that he heard Matthews never made it out of surgery.

 

****

**Now**

"Come _on_ , Sherlock!" John shoved Sherlock into the hall.

"We didn't find the diary!" Sherlock tried to twist away and slip back into the study but John blocked his path.

"We found enough." Another hard shove and then they were moving through the smoke. 

The stairs, where the hell were the stairs? 

 

****

**Before**

"John?"

Carefully, ever so carefully, John took his mother's thin hand in his own. "I'm right here, mum."

"Take care of your sister, Johnny." 

"I will, mum. I promise." 

She coughed weakly. "Tell your da I love him." 

"You can tell him yourself. He'll be back in a minute." Harry and his father were out in the corridor with the doctor. No one had wanted to leave his mum alone, not even for a moment, so he'd offered to stay behind.

Suddenly a familiar figure loomed over the bed. Not a person, but a skeleton, wearing a black robe and carrying a large scythe. 

"Why are you here?" John hissed, not wanting to disturb his mother.

IT IS HER TIME 

"No! Go away!" It was only when he returned his attention to his mum that he realized she wasn't wheezing painfully anymore. She wasn't breathing anymore. Alarms started going off as he screamed, "Why did you have to do that! Mum? Mum!"

 

****

**Now**

They were halfway down the stairs when the ceiling started to break apart. Sherlock was a few steps below him and John saw him duck, twist and stumble but make it to the front door. "Go!" John shouted as he picked his own way down, "I'll be right behind you."

The words were barely out of his mouth when the entire staircase collapsed.

 

****

**Before**

They'd gone on holiday, their first in years. A week in Southend. Unlike Harry, who'd only wanted to play in the sand, John had been excited about going swimming.

"Don't go too far, Johnny," his da warned.

"Stay where we can see you," his mum added.

"I will!" John shouted as he ran into the water.

Before long both his parents were dozing on the blanket, Harry was engrossed with the sand castle she was building and John had ventured out well past where he should have stopped. He was tired and the shore was ages away, and he started trying to swim back, but couldn't seem to get any closer.

Soon he was bobbing up and down, catching a quick breath whenever he could, but it wasn't enough. Each time he thought it would be his last. Then someone, no something, was there. It was all bones, like the pictures in the doctor's office.

IT IS YOUR TIME JOHN WATSON 

Even though everything was blurry John saw a big stick with a sword at the end swing towards him. He was about to cry out when he was grabbed and lifted out of the water.

"Johnny! Oh, Johnny, are you all right?" His mum wrapped both arms around him and held him close, pressing rough kisses into his hair. "You're never to scare me like that again, do you hear me?"

Before she carried him away he thought he saw the bony creature wave goodbye.

 

****

**Now**

John coughed himself awake amidst smoke and heat and lots and lots of pointy bits. What on earth....

He remembered fire. Then stairs. Then.... Oh yes, then falling.

"Sherlock?" he called out. Or tried to. It came out more as a croak.

SHERLOCK HOLMES IS NOT PRESENT AT PRESENT, THERE IS ONLY ME PRESENT AT PRESENT 

He cracked an eye open to see a familiar visage looming above him. "Finally my time, eh?"

THAT HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED 

"I thought the sand....?" he coughed out.

Death's head tilted, listening to something John couldn't hear.

IT IS AS I SUSPECTED 

"What? I don't," John started to say, but then he heard it too. Sirens and fire extinguishers and footfalls and Sherlock shouting his name.

UNTIL NEXT TIME 

Three firefighters appeared, putting out the fire and pushing their way through the collapsed stairs to get to him.

"John? John! Oh, let me through, you inept cretin! John!"

"Stay back, Mister Holmes. We'll have him out in a moment," one yelled over their shoulder before slipping a mask over John's face. 

The last thing he saw as he passed out was Death smiling at him.

Considering how the day could have ended, that wasn't as disconcerting as it could have been.


End file.
